Afenifere warns against school kidnap in Ogun, Lagos coastlines

Akure—AFENIFERE, the Yoruba socio-political group, yesterday expressed indignation over the incessant kidnap of school children along the Ogun and Lagos states coastlines.

Rising from its monthly meeting held in Akure, the country home of its national leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the group asked security agencies to halt the ugly trend.

In like manner, the group in a communique read to newsmen after the about five hours meeting showed concern over the menace of Fulani herdsmen across the country.

The communique was read by the state chairman of the group and former Education Commissioner Hon Korede Duyile.

On the kidnap of school children, the group said; “We are aware that the coastline of Yoruba land stretching from Lagos to Ondo State are daily being bombarded by armed kidnappers and marauders.

“We call on Federal Government to use all means to stop this trend particularly as relate to vulnerable school children.”

While denouncing the activities of Fulani herdsmen, the group said; “We are concerned that the Fulani herdsmen menace persists to the detriment of well being of innocent citizens whose means of livelihood are being destroyed.

“Afenifere deployed the indifferent of the Federal Government on this matter.

“Unless appropriate actions are taken on the menace, farmers and their people generally may have no choice than to defend themselves and this should not be allow to happen so as to ensure peace in Nigeria.”

“We called on the states in Yoruba land to take definite action within their constitutional responsibilities to check mate the rampaging herdsmen.

“We employ them to follow what Ekiti state had done in that regards.

Speaking on lopsidedness in the appointments in Federal agencies and parastatals, the group said “Of recent, there are reports that appointments in some federal agencies and Parastaltals are still lopsided in particular the Department of State Security Services.

“The report has it that those appointed in Katstina state alone is more than those appointed in the whole of south all together.

“We called on the federal character commission to look into matter and if find to be true, should immediately take actions to redeemed the imbalance.

“We also called on the National Assembly to embark on a legislative process that can assist in checking the lopsidedness in appointments. “In the area of economy, Afenifere called on Federal government and Central Bank of Nigeria to align both the fiscal and monetary policies such that it would be able to check mate rising cost of valuables, rising rate of inflations and continue loss in the value of the Naira.

The group pointed out that “unless this issue are constructively tackled , our economy may not move at the pace to ensure prosperity in Nigeria.